The biggest annual film festival in the Baltic countries is approaching its 12th edition on 13 November - 7 December 2008 with programming changes that will see the foundation of a new competition section - Baltic feature film competition.

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival was founded in 1997 as the showcase of Nordic cinema that quickly grew into international event presenting ca 200 features and as much shorts from more than 60 countries. Nevertheless, the festival retained its roots firmly in the region and still is among the best places to see the latest offerings of Nordic, Baltic, Eastern European and Russian cinema.

In 2004 the international competition EurAsia was created for new features from Europe and Asia. In its 5th anniversary edition, this competition will again present ca 16 new films from the whole continent. Previous winners include "Schizo" from Kazakhstan, "Shanghai Dreams" from China, "DarkBlueAlmostBlack" from Spain and Turkish "Takva" that won in 2007. The call for entries for the international competition is open for 5 more weeks, until 15 September. The competition eligibility rules have changed and now allow also submissions of animation and documentary features. With the development of projection facilities, this year films without 35mm prints are also accepted. "We wanted to keep the door open for different genres and formats, and also stay in touch with the technical development, so that competition-worthy films could be accepted even without 35 mm film print," says Jaan Ruus, the head of the international competition programme. Official competition EurAsia has brought to Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival also well-deserved recognition as since 2006 the festival has been accredited by FIAPF as associated festival.

Local fare was brought to spotlight in 2005 when Scottish Leader Estonian feature film competition was founded. The latest winner of the Estonian Film Award was "Autumn Ball" that garnered prizes also in the EurAsia competition. In three years this section has been praised by the international jury members, but the lack of wider spectrum and comparison to Estonian cinema has been missing. Although Baltic Event, the film and co-production market for industry professionals has for years brought Latvian and Lithuanian filmmakers to Tallinn during the festival, the presentation of their films had been limited to closed industry screenings.
It was time to open up the Estonian competition and bring Latvian and Lithuanian product in front of general public and international jury. "The idea of this new competition section, with cash award of at least 3000 euros for the best film, was enthusiastically received by the national film organizations of Latvia and Lithuania, so we hope for many submissions of fresh Baltic features for this new competition," comments festival director Tiina Lokk. The entry deadline for Baltic feature film competition is also
15 September. "The best Estonian film will be additionally awarded with the Scottish Leader Estonian Film Award, but the selection will this year be made from all Estonian features in all festival programmes," adds Lokk.

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival will take place from 13 November to 7 December, 2008 in Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia, with touring programme in other Estonian towns. The main feature film festival begins on 28 November and includes two competition sections, non-competitive overview of world cinema in many genres and formats, critics' choice programme by Screen International, special sections of Turkish and Argentinean cinema, documentaries about culture, fashion and human rights, programme presented by BMW Group, films about and from Afghanistan, Midnight Movies as well as tribute programmes of the masters of world cinema Manoel de Oliveira and Andrzej Wajda. The festival season begins already on 13 November with the Student Film Festival Sleepwalkers and continues with Animation Film Festival Animated Dreams, Children and Youth Film Festival Just Film and internet-based Nokia Mobile Phone Film Festival MOFF.

Call for entries is closing on 15 August for short films and on 15 September for feature films. Regulations and entry form can be found at
http://2008.poff.ee/?lang=2&id=639